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Forum:Cinders from the South
The legend of the hateful spirit known as the Cinder Man is myth no more: it consumed and bonded with the man Enicio Vargas, and in his body led a legion of burning undead across the Hyrcanian Desert, intent on spreading destruction. His raging flame needed to be extinguished lest it be allowed to spread across the land. The Cinder Man's movements were erratic; Colonel Boyd theorized that he was moving as though trying to avoid a pursuer. Based on their discussions with Djinn of Djinn, the group posited that, like Djinn of Djinn, the Cinder Man would remain in the south during the winter season and only move further north in the spring. The Pathfinders were encouraged to act quickly, lest the fight come closer to home. In the end of Mirtul 2113, the Pathfinders confronted the Cinder Man. While Gorgoroth, Erevis, and Jura held off his army, Alejandra and Ballantino dealt with the Cinder Man himself, seeking to draw out the remnants of Vargas from the dual being. A Reprobation was finally successful at not only severing Vargas' link to his goddess Sarenrae, but also removing from him the power of the Cinder Man. At this a Balor appeared to claim Vargas' soul; this demon appeared to have been channelling his own power through the Cinder Man. The Pathfinders were able to save Vargas' soul, but not his life. Given that a major portion of the Cinder Man's power was demonic in origin, it is unclear exactly why the Reprobation, which would normally only prevent the goddess Sarenrae's power from acting through Vargas, had the dramatic effect that it did. It is tempting to theorize that the Cinder Man was indeed strangely vulnerable to the spell because of its ability to affect the host Vargas. Strategy According to the genies met in the Wandering Oasis, the hateful blaze of the Cinder Man could only be countered by its opposite: the warm, nurturing light of fire. Alternately, a Sphinx encountered in the desert suggested that the power of fire could also be overcome by that of sand and stone, which can confine flames without being burned by them. Valconey theorized that the Black Mirror may be connected in some way to the Cinder Man, but upon investigation of the site, the theory proved false. The nature spirits were unable to say how long the Cinder Man would remain in the desert, or whether those it consumes could be rescued. Commune was able to confirm Jura's suspicions that the date of Imbolc, festival of fire and light, might have been relevant to this endeavor, should the Pathfinders have confronted the Cinder Man near that date. It would have been possible for the Cinder Man to gain power from Imbolc, but the Pathfinders could also have used its power, possibly by tapping into fire's nurturing form. It was confirmed that the Cinder Man was likely to eventually reach Willowdale or the Golden Fields if not stopped. Two further strategic details were garnered: Vargas' sword was less strong than adamantine, and he was capable of flight. Having observed the effect of Quench in their first encounter, Jura believed that the spell could be used to significantly weaken or extinguish his burning soldiers, as it could affect most of his army. The spells Stoneskin, Resist Energy, and Protection from Energy, applied in their Communal forms, protected the Pathfinders from most harm until the demons unexpectedly arrived. Death Ward was suggested to defend against the unidentified negative energy effect in Vargas' weapon, but was not used. Jura suggested that in addition to his usual healing, Ballantino would be able to inhibit the Cinder Man's destructive ability, or protect fallen Pathfinders from being taken over by the Cinder Man; none of these magics were employed. Alejandra also employed magical means of drawing Vargas' ire away from the rest of the group, to excellent effect. Alejandra also trained herself mentally in her downtime to control her reactions when facing down her son's killer. Jura offered to use the Changeling Putty to temporarily transform herself into Vargas so that Alejandra might address and excise her hatred of him before the actual battle. However, the Potion of Memory and the vigil over the Wand of St. Christopher served this purpose in a less drastic manner. Jura suggested to Alejandra in the aftermath of the first encounter with Vargas that a Reprobation might have some effect on him. Alejandra initially expressed concerns that the measure would be overly harsh, but later explained that she and Ballantino had decided that the spell was the only way to force Vargas to face what he had done.